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Monthly Archives: April 2015

You hear about identity theft daily in the news, you know online security threats are on the rise and probably know some of the ways in which people steal and use your personal information. You most likely even know someone who’s been a victim of identity theft. With all that said, do you know the steps to take in the event that your identity has been compromised?

Fraud Specialist, Chelsea Marcyes, provided us with the steps to take if your identity is compromised:

Step 1: Call one of the three credit companies (Equifax 1-800-525-6285, Experian 1-888-397-3742, TransUnion 1-800-680-7789) and ask them to put a fraud alert on your credit report and complete the following:

Let them know that you are an identity theft victim
Ask them to put a fraud alert on your credit file
Confirm they will contact the other 2 companies

This alert will stay on you report for 90 days. You may also choose to report your identity compromise to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Step 2: If you suspect your identity has been stolen, close existing accounts and open new ones. Remember to create PINs and passwords that are tough to figure out.

Chelsea is a Fraud Specialist at our Staples location. She enjoys working with the community to educate them about fraud prevention and education. Her family includes her husband Lonnie, their two children Jackson and Bentley, two dogs Carly and Hailey, and two horses Elsa and Woody. In the summer, they enjoy gardening, canning and riding horse. As a family, they love to watch football games … especially when the Broncos are playing!

First International Bank & Trust is proud to announce a corporate partnership with the Red Cross of the Dakotas Region.

“Having experienced first-hand the support from the Red Cross in our communities during times of need, we couldn’t be happier to partner with such a great organization.” – John Drady, Western Market President

Through this partnership, employee engagement opportunities will allow First International Bank & Trust to support the Red Cross’ task of preparedness, response and recovery in the event of a disaster.

Pictured above: The 2011 Souris River Flood. Both the Red Cross and First International Bank & Trust employees were ready to help in a time of need.

In addition to volunteer opportunities, the partnership enabled the Red Cross to purchase a vehicle to be used throughout North Dakota. The Dakotas Regions of the American Red Cross serves 1.7 million people across 160,000 square miles in North Dakota, South Dakota and 10 counties in Northwest Minnesota.